A Downward Spiral
by Winchester26
Summary: Between her demons, Cobb's past, and three dream levels- a lot falls on the shoulders of the Forger.  Includes EamesxOC, new conflicts & different POV's.
1. For a Lack of Trying

**[Author's Note: I figured I could not go an entire story without having a first name for Eames, so I decided to give him one that IMO he would not like- thus why we do not know about it].**

Addison Stafford fanned herself with a folded newspaper as she sat cross-legged, alone, at a two person table in the café amidst the hotel. She wore Gucci sunglasses and a black sun dress- causing her to stick out among the black, male, Kenyans.

"Those sunglasses aren't quite helping you fit in, darling," Eames finally returned to their table after a bout of gambling had finished. He handed her a glass of water and sat down across from her. She uncapped the water and placed the newspaper fan down on the table. "Well, it doesn't help that I'm white or female either," she replied half-heartedly. Normally she was quite the match for her beau's witty banter. But it was too hot, and she was too sick of Mombasa to truly try.

Eames gave a small smile and leaned back in his chair, eating one of the nuts out of the palm of his hand.

"Can we leave this place yet?" she asked exasperatedly. They'd been in Mombasa for far too long, in her opinion. They'd been hired by Cobalt Engineering to do a job in their field and…they hadn't left yet.

Eames shook his head, "But don't worry…just a bit more gambling and we'll have enough money to hop a plane and go anywhere we'd like…" he said- like that was comforting.

"Can't we just settle for the winnings you have now and hop a plane to the US…the land of air conditioning and the English language?" Addison replied.

"Now, Addy, you know there's another reason for sticking around…" he said in a lower voice, to keep their conversation between them only.

Addison nodded, "But we haven't heard anything about Dom in weeks…and why would he risk coming back into Cobalt's backyard?" she whispered back, leaning forward a bit.

"Because he is willing to take necessary risks," Eames replied. Addison sighed and sipped her water before picking her newspaper back up and lazily fanning it from side to side. There was a moment's pause. Both Eames and Addison looked around the café. Addison's attention was finally drawn back to Eames when she realized his gaze hadn't left her. She looked at him expectantly.

"But why don't I make it up to you?" he asked, leaning forward over the table. Addison slowly smirked, "That might just work…" she responded.

"I'll grab us some drinks and meet you up in the room, eh?" he asked. Addison nodded as she stood up. She crossed to his side of the table and leaned over to whisper in his ear, "You'd better hurry, or I might just start without you…" she kissed his ear.

"Well, just as long as you don't finish without me," he replied, teasing. He stood up and headed towards the bar and she headed for the stairs.

In the hotel room, Addison splashed some water on her face and ran a brush through her hair. She turned around, facing away from the mirror when the hotel room door clicked open again and Eames entered with an alcoholic beverage in each hand. He set them down on the nightstand as Addison spoke, standing in the doorway between the bedroom and the bathroom, "I'm not ready."

"Ready or not…" Eames shrugged. He moved forward, grabbed her around the waist and then laid her down on the bed, kissing her all the way down. He hovered over her, their bodies moving in a fluid motion…

…until it was interrupted by a rapping on the door. Addison felt Eames pull up but she held onto his jacket, "Ignore it…"

Eames kissed her again, but the knocking happened again, "Mr. Eames?" a familiar voice sounded from behind the door. Addison sat up just as Eames laid back. "Told you," Eames whispered. He got off the bed and straightened his jacket. Addison rolled her eyes but fixed her hair just before Eames opened the door, "Couldn't have come at a worst time," he greeted their old friend.

Cobb smirked, "Go big or go home," he smiled with a shrug, hands in his pockets. He looked over Eames' shoulder to the woman on the bed, "Hello, again, Addison," he said with a small, apologetic smile.

Addison slipped off the bed, "Hello, Dom," she replied. She walked forward to stand by the men in the doorway. She looked up to Cobb, "You will be completely and one hundred percent forgiven for your interruption if whatever you have to talk to Marshal about involves getting the hell out of Mombasa…"

Cobb chuckled and nodded, "It does indeed." He noted Eames' annoyed look at the use of 'Marshal'.

"He's yours," Addison smiled, before turning around and headed into the bathroom to take a shower. She figured that by the time she was out of the shower, they'd be done discussing and she'd get the hell out of Mombasa.


	2. For Hire

Once her bags were packed, she sauntered back down to the café to find Eames and Cobb at a table in a deep discussion. She looked around and noted a man, dressed nicely in a suite that seemed to be very interested in Cobb and Eames' conversation.

She got two beers from the bar and headed over to her two men. Placing them down on the table, one to each, she whispered, "From the man at the bar," she smiled.

Each of them gave her recognition. They'd already noticed. "That price on my head, was that dead or alive?" Cobb asked into his bottle.

Eames shrugged, "Don't remember… see if he starts shooting…" he said. He made a motion with his head and Addison headed back to the man, "Freddy Simmons? My god! Look Marshall! It's Freddy Simmons!" Addison exclaimed with a huge grin, getting very close to the man in the suit, "How've you been, Freddy?" he asked as Eames stood up as if he'd seen an old friend again for the first time in years.

And Cobb was no longer sitting at the table; he'd just jumped from the balcony of the café. That was when 'Freddy Simmons' was off after him. Addison laughed as Eames closed in the space between them, "Meeting back here in a half an hour," he told her, his hand resting on her hip. Addison nodded, "My bags are packed."

"You never unpacked, love," he said, taking the last sip of his beer.

"Irrelevant," Addison replied. They headed back towards the room to get their things sent off to the airline that Cobb had designated. They walked down the stairs to wait in an empty archway and on their way down, Eames slapped her ass with the palm of his hand, "That was for calling me Marshal," he said in her ear.

"I wasn't about to yell out your last name, now was I?" she asked looking back at him, doing the best she could to hide the smirk from her face- attempting to look upset & insulted.

Finally, a nice four-door rounded the corner and Cobb tapped the side of the car. "Ah, so this is your idea of losing a tail, yeah?" he asked, opening the passenger side door for Addison then climbing into the back himself, "Different tail," Cobb replied.

"How's your head?" Addison asked Cobb, looking back at a red mark slowly appearing on his forehead.

"I've had worse," Cobb replied with a thin smile. Addison then looked over, for the first time, to the Asian man seated- now- next to Cobb, "You're the man with the job, huh?"

"Saito," he held out his hand.

"Addison Stafford," she replied, "And that's my Marshal. Marshal Eames as I'm sure Cobb has told you," Addison smirked back at Eames who gave her a look. But Eames gave a compensating laugh and spoke next, "Yes, well, Addy. Mr. Saito already knows my name…the only one I go by," he said.

"Don't worry Eames," Cobb said, "Saito is always in the interest of full-disclosure: personal information…including names that you may not want others to know."

Cobb didn't joke around… ever. So when he broke a smile, it was a good moment. The tension in the car was thin and Eames shifted in his seat and looked at the window, "Yes, well, I'll be sure to give my mother a piece of my mind when we meet again…"

Addison smacked his knee, "Eames! You're terrible…" she said, because she knew as well as the others: Eames' mother had been dead for some time.

"Yes, well, it keeps me young." He gave her the all-Eames smart-ass smile.

/===/

After discussing the details of the job and who needed to talk to who and what needed to be known, and after visiting a man named Yusuf, who agreed to join the team and build their compounds. Eames and Addison were put on a flight to Australia and were going to meet back with Cobb and the rest of the team in Paris when Eames had found out enough about Browning and the Fischers to be sufficient for them to build a plan.

Thank-God for Saito. It was first class all the way from Mombasa to Sydney. With big comfy seats and a ton of privacy for a public flight, Addison fell asleep in her big, comfy chair half-way through the long flight. [..]

But she awoke with a start, finding Eames looking rather concerned, and a few of the (awake) first class citizens glancing over at her. "Addy, 's alright…" he told her.

She took a minute, a horrified look still plastered on her face. She reached into her bra and pulled out a small brass compass. She waited until it found its direction before placing it back with a sigh. She looked over at Eames. "I'm sorry…" she admitted, shaking her head.

"It's alright, darling," he said, brushing some hair out of her face. "Was it the nightmare?" he asked in a lower voice, setting the newspaper he had down on his knee.

Addison slowly nodded, "It's just so vivid…m-my sister…" she put her hands on her eyes and took a deep breath to keep her emotions in check. "Shhhh…" She felt Eames kiss her temple and his arm snaked around her shoulders, pulling her into him. Her head now rested on his shoulder, her hand on his chest. She closed her eyes again- hoping sleep would bring her peace this time.


	3. Red Sky at Morning

Watching baggage claim go round and round…and round… Addison felt as if she could fall asleep standing up. A fifteen hour flight and not one minute of satisfying sleep really took its toll. Luckily, when it was time for Eames to observe Peter Browning and the Fischers, she would be able to stay behind at the hotel and sleep it off. But if she knew herself at all- her nightmare's would get worse (& increasingly vivid) before they got better.

"Addy, look alive!" Eames exclaimed when he noticed Addison's bag passing them by. He reached forward and yanked her bag off of the carousel and placed it beside them, "Are you sure you're alright, love?" he asked, attempting to look into her eyes.

Addison nodded, "Yeah…just tired…jet lag…nothing sounds better than a bed right now," she smiled. She reached down and pulled the handle from the bag and they wheeled their way through immigration and out to a cab.

At the hotel- Eames hung up his suit to make sure it was crisp for his first day as an advisor in Browning's office. Addy was unpacking a few of her essentials when Eames slid his hands down her sides and rested them on her hips, "Think you're going to be alright tonight?" he asked, resting his face against the crook of her neck.

Addison reached back and touched his cheek gently with her hand, "Yeah….yeah, I'll be fine, babe…" She replied but she knew very well that tonight would probably get worse. She tried to bury her past…and the memories that would not leave her- but she figured that dealing with it in her own sleep was better than having it breakthrough during a job. "Don't worry about me…"

"I always worry about you, Addy…" he replied, his fingertips pressing into her gently. "Increasingly…"

Addison opened her mouth to reply but the room phone rang at an obnoxious pitch. Eames let her go and headed to the phone. "Eames," he answered lowly.

From what Addison could gather- it was Arthur. She couldn't hear much but Eames' responses were enough for her to piece it together: They'd found an architect, Yusuf was closing in on his compound that would allow them to feel a kick no matter how deep the sedation. Apparently, the Paris group wanted to make sure that they were only staying through the week. And, according to Eames, Arthur was a poor sport and shortly thereafter- the conversation was terminated.

"Why can't you just leave that poor boy alone?" Addison stifled a yawn.

Eames grinned, "All in good fun," he said, placing the phone back on the receiver, "Besides- he started it…" he winked. "C'mon, Addy, get some sleep," he urged her.

Taking off her dress she climbed into bed in only her undergarments, "Way ahead of you," she replied, climbing beneath the blankets.

Silently, she prayed for a goodnight's sleep- she wasn't sure she could stand another hour of consciousness….or disturbed subconciousness…

/===/

Eames awoke with a start- hearing the hotel room door click closed. He sat up quickly, looking beside him to find an empty bed. Rubbing his eyes- he glanced at the clock; he had to be up for 'work' in less than two hours. Eames climbed out of bed and headed out the door, "Addy…" he whispered. The hall was deserted and dimly lit by the 24-hour hotel lights. He looked up and down the hall but she was not in sight. She had veered off somewhere. "Addy!" he whispered again- but louder this time.

Choosing to go right, he headed down the hall, his wits slowly starting to come about him. He had a feeling something would happen- but he didn't think she'd sleep walk in the hotel. That was when a very nicely dressed couple (an older man and suspiciously younger woman) came stumbling by, smiling and laughing, "Er- excuse me…" he stopped them, but they were definitely hammered, "Did you see a woman pass by, only a moment ago?"

The girl giggled and shook her head no, and the man could not seem to take his eyes off of the young woman.

"Thanks very much," Eames finished and they wasted no time disappearing into a room. He chose to head in the other direction- hoping that the young woman was right and Addison had not gone that way.

Around the corner, he found that she had not gotten far. His girl, dressed in her skivvies, illuminated by the vending machines- looked as if she'd merely fallen asleep standing up.

"Addy," he reached his hand out to touch her arm.

It sent the girl into a frantic fit, screaming and attempting to get away from Eames, "No! Don't hurt me! Please! Please don't hurt me!" she shrieked at the top of her lungs.

Eames looked around quickly as he put both hands on her arms, "Addy!" he exclaimed, shaking her gently, "Addy , it's me…"

Addison's eyes opened fully- as she slowly became aware of her surroundings and the reality around them. But two room doors opened as tired and curious tenants peaked out. One of them took a step out into the hall, "You okay, miss?" he asked.

"She's just fine," Eames replied as he took off his shirt and handed it to her- just wanting to help Addison- but this answer did not satisfy the concerned citizen.

"I'm fine, thank-you…sleepwalking," she admitted- trying to force a laugh as she put Eames' shirt on- to stop her little show. The man nodded slowly and both doors creaked shut.

"C'mon, let's get you back to the room," he said, ushering her back down the hall, and into their room. But he turned on the light once they got there, "It's getting worse, love…" he said, concerned.

Addison nodded, "It always gets worse before it gets better," she hugged herself and sat on the edge of the bed.

"When we get back to Paris- we'll see if Cobb can help sort you out…" he rubbed his eyes again. Looking at the clock he shrugged, "No use in going back to sleep now- why don't we watch some good ol' Australian television, eh?" he smiled at her, trying to get her mind off of whatever she'd just seen.

But Addison didn't respond. She reached over into her clutch on the dresser and found her totem to watch it chose a direction.


	4. Going Back

While Eames was off at Fischer-Morrow, Addison calculated the 8 hour time difference between themselves and Paris. Since it was two o'clock there, it would be six in the morning in Paris- but she wanted to talk to Cobb before Eames got back. So, she dialed her cell phone, pressing through the options to allow the long distance. It wasn't being billed to her anyway…

"Cobb." Came his distinct tone from the other end.

"It's Addison," she replied, taking her seat on the edge of the bed.

"Is everything all right? You know it's only six am here…" he said. But she knew that he would have been up anyway- she did not feel bad.

"Yeah- everything's fine…well….no, everything's not fine…" she said, letting out an exasperated and exhausted breath.

"What's wrong? Is it Browning?" Cobb asked suddenly, very concerned.

"No! No…nothing like that…everything with the job is fine…it's me…" Addison explained, "Dom…" she began to whisper, even though no one was around to hear her, "I'm worried…I can't sleep anymore…"

There was a lengthy pause on the other end before Cobb asked, "What's the nature of your insomnia?"

"Every time I fall asleep…it comes back to me…the day my sister died…" she explained. Her eyes had already begun to feel the sting of tears. Only Marshal knew about her past and the nightmares that came along with it. "It doesn't happen all the time…but when it does…it interferes with everything…" She did not need to explain further that she was worried it would affect their job.

"Okay, Addison, when you get back to Paris I'm going to teach you a few things that will help stop the nightmares…but I warn you- the only way I've proven to eradicate vivid nightmares…will rid you of the ability to dream at all…"

It was Addison's turn to pause this time, but when she finally responded, she opened with a joke, "Well, with my profession- it won't be long until I'm in s_omeone's _dream…" but in all honesty, the thought scared her. It was one thing to be in someone else's dream…but it was another thing entirely to go to sleep at night (organically) and let your subconscious roam free… she could not imagine losing that ability.

Cobb did not share the laugh but continued, "You have the rest of the week to make sure you want to go through with it…I'll be ready when you get back…"

"Thanks," she replied, unsure if she felt satisfied with the phone call, "Now you better get yourself a cup of coffee or go back to sleep wouldn't want you waking anyone else…though I figure Arthur was up twenty minutes before you…"

"Always."

"Goodbye, Cobb."

"Be careful, Addison." _Click. _

/===/

The door clicked open at ten after six when Eames entered the room, dressed in his snazzy business suit. Addison, who'd been laying on the bed, reading a book about the subconscious sat up, "How was work, honey?" she mocked a chipper voice and swung her legs off the side of the bed.

Eames gave her a look as he shrugged his jacket off, "I feel as though I am wasted potential," he commented, hanging his suit coat up, "Big business is nothing but a circus…if I wasn't an undercover I could potentially be in control by Monday morning," he smiled. He unbuttoned the cuffs of his shirt and rolled his sleeves up before removing his tie, "Do anything exciting whilst I was away?" he asked, treading lightly- unsure if to bring the incident of the morning up yet.

Addison shook her head, "Not really…but I was too tired to go out and see Sydney," she said with a frown, "Maybe tomorrow…"

Eames paused. He took off the belt and removed his shoes, "Here's where I make my confession…" he said slowly, leaning against the frame of the bathroom archway.

Addison raised a brow, "What? If it's about this morning…"

"Well yes, and no… I really think we should get you sorted out…and the sooner the better…I booked a flight for you tomorrow…to send you back to Paris…"

Addison frowned and looked a bit insulted, "Were you going to run this by me any later or … was I going to find out when the car reached the airport?"

Eames sighed, "Look, after this morning…you can't possibly stay here through the week like this…look at you…you're exhausted and abnormally anxious…"

"I'm fine," Addison snapped, harder than she'd meant to. "The best place for me to be is with you. I can't just leave you here by yourself…"

"Darling, it's not a job…I'm merely observing business men in a highly secure and quite lavish office building…I'm in no danger whatsoever," he approached her, standing in front of her, "But you need help, Addy…" his finger reached up and traced her cheek.

She swatted his finger away, "You think I'm mad…"

He shook his head, "I think that you do not deserve to relive your past for one moment more…"

She sighed, "Fine," she griped, "But not because you decided it…because I need to check out this new architect we've got and make sure she isn't moving in on my man…"

Eames laughed, "I think you know that I'm more than yours, darling…"

"Not you… "she replied as if it were obvious, "Arthur…"

"Very nice, Addy…"

"You don't play nice."

"You're very right," Eames replied, "Want to see?" he leaned in and hovered over her as her back hit the bed, "I can truly be _very _naughty…"


	5. Demons

/===/

Addison landed at the airport in Paris and Arthur was there to pick her up. "Thanks," Addison started after she dropped her bag into the trunk and took her seat on the passenger side. "How's the research coming?" she asked, hoping to kick up a conversation- but getting Arthur to chat was a difficult task at any time.

"Normally our mark isn't the heir to one of the world's most powerful corporations..." he replied, "It's been a lot harder to gather the more important details," he explained.

Addison nodded. She pulled her feet up on the seat with her, her shoes sitting on the floor in front of her, getting comfortable. "Don't think I'll be of much help on this one…" she said lightly.

Arthur glanced at her, in essence, asking her why not. She continued obligingly, "Well the mark _is _the heir to a major corporation…I can't imagine his projections are going to be anything creative," she shrugged- "Don't think we have to worry much…"

Arthur shrugged slightly too, his eyes on the road, "They may not be anything creative- but they have the chance of being dangerous…he's a protected man, trust me. Besides, you're the best Veil around…"

Addison nodded, "I guess that's true," she grinned, trying to joke around in her mock-self appreciation, but the kid in the seat next to her did not laugh. Although, silently, she appreciated his compliment because when Arthur complimented your work in their field…he was serious. The rest of the car ride was spent mostly in silence or periodic short sessions of Q&A about the job.

When they reached Paris they headed to the warehouse where Addison met Ariadne and was updated on what she'd missed over the past couple days. When the group finally dispersed, Cobb stayed behind in the warehouse with Addison. They pulled up the lawn chairs and Cobb leaned in to talk to her.

"Before we go under, I need to ask, Addison…what memory is haunting you?" he looked at her. He knew full well that once they went under, he'd see- but in order to have a plan of attack to lock the memories away- he needed to know what he was up against.

Addison took a deep breath. She'd always hoped that Eames would be the only member of the team…or in general, that knew about her past. But she needed Cobb to know…she couldn't hold it back much longer.

"The night that my father killed my baby sister…" Addison replied, lacing her fingers together. Her eyes trailed the floor, to Cobb's shoes and finally up to his eyes. Cobb nodded, non-judging, almost not responsive, but he replied, "Addison, what happened that night?"

"_Addison! ADDISON!" roared her father. The crash of a glass bottle sounded against the living room wall. But Addison was off and running. She ran up the stairs and hid beside the laundry basket in the dark bathroom; the likely hood of her drunken father taking the stairs was slim to none. _

_Pulling her knees to her chest, the fifteen year old cried silently into her jeans. What had she done to deserve a father like hers? After losing their mother several years previous, their already drunken daddy turned into a maniac. She and her little sister, Adrianna, turned into his personal punching bags and some nights were worse than others…it only seemed to escalate. _

_She could hear indistinct yelling and grumbling of an old drunk, but Addison knew to just wait it out until he gave up and passed out. "DADDY! STOP-" Addison could hear the squeak of little Arianna's cry. When a loud SLAM sounded from downstairs she got up, her hands shaking; suddenly Addison could feel her heart beating and the blood rushing in her ears. Frozen in place, she realized she should have checked for Arianna before hiding. Finally, when Addison remembered how to move, she sprinted off down the stairs and rounded the corner. _

_Slumped on the ground against the wall was the small frame of Arianna's lifeless body… her father stood a few feet away sobbing into his hands, apparently surprised by what he'd just done. Addison rushed to Arianna but it was too late…the dent in the wall was made by her poor sister's bleeding head. She did not realize that her father had left the room…she didn't know how long she was cradling her sister for when the sound of a gunshot rang through the house. But the guilt did not stop from swelling inside of her. Moments later, sirens sounded outside her house and not long after did a pair of police officers enter the house. Addison could not remember much after that. She did not remember being pried from her sister…she did not remember the ambulance taking her sister away. She did not remember a paramedic checking her out and declaring her in shock. The next thing that was clear was when the hospital asked her if she needed any help making funeral arrangements for her father and sister. _

_Addison did remember telling the doctor that her father could burn in hell…and that her sister would be taken care of if it was the last thing she did. But Addison would never forget the guilt and regret she felt for letting that despicable man rob Arianna of a full and happy life … and she would never lose the sentiment that she would give anything to bring her sister back…even if it meant exchanging places…_

"I'm sorry…I really am…" Cobb told her, snapping Addison out of her thoughts. He pulled on the IVs from the PASIV and handed one to Addison before taking his seat again and starting on his own. "Addison, you do realize…you will have to face him again…"

Addison nodded, holding back her tears, "Yes…I know…"

"Well then, if you're ready…" Cobb reached out and pressed the injection activation trigger and within seconds, both Cobb and Addison were in a different reality.


End file.
